Current and Future Plans
Progress
Formal Training of Faithful Men for Pastoral Leaders
We continue to witness God’s gracious provision as He builds a strong and faithful faculty team for CAPA. From the beginning, we have prayed for both Malawian and missionary faculty members who meet established academic standards and embody our core value of “pastors training pastors.” Each faculty member must be elder-qualified, actively serving in leadership within his local church while also teaching at CAPA.
We are thankful to report that the two missionaries we had anticipated have now arrived. One has already begun serving through our monthly workshops, helping to prepare prospective students and strengthen our training efforts ahead of the formal program launch. The other has taken on a key administrative role while also leading our faculty through Christian education models, sharpening our collective approach to teaching and strengthening our readiness for the formal program.
In addition, we look forward to the return of other staff members who have been pursuing advanced studies, and we rejoice that one of our faculty members is currently enrolled in a ThM program at The Master’s Seminary.
It is clear that the Lord has been answering our long-standing prayers. As we prepare to begin our formal program, we are grateful to have a growing team of well-trained, biblically faithful men—bringing both Malawian and international perspectives—committed to equipping the next generation of church leaders.
NCHE requires that every tertiary institution meet specific standards regarding its physical campus. We are grateful to report that, in partnership with IBF Church, construction of our campus facilities has now been fully completed.
The chapel building and classroom block are finished, classrooms are furnished and ready for use, and our library has been stocked to support our academic programs. The facility is now prepared to welcome its first intake of students.
This milestone represents the Lord’s faithful provision and the generosity of many supporters who gave sacrificially to make this vision a reality. We are deeply thankful for each person who contributed through prayer, financial support, and practical assistance.
With the campus complete and ready for use, we stand in awe of God’s goodness and timing as we look forward to resuming formal theological education.
We are thankful to share that we have now completed all the necessary steps in our application for accreditation with NCHE. This milestone represents many months of careful preparation, policy development, and institutional strengthening. We remain deeply grateful for the foundational work of CAPA’s past leadership and faculty, whose earlier efforts toward NCHE registration provided a strong starting point for this process.
Having fulfilled the required submissions and accreditation visit, we are now awaiting the final decision from NCHE. We are encouraged by the progress made and the positive momentum toward resuming formal theological education.
Please join us in praying for a favorable outcome that will enable us to begin our formal academic programs and continue equipping the saints for faithful ministry.
Academic Programs
Our plan is to offer a Certificate of Biblical Studies (2 years) and a Bachelor of Theology (4 years). These programs are designed to be stackable and complementary, guiding students from foundational biblical knowledge to more advanced theological training. CAPA will continue working closely with TMAI to ensure that each program meets Certified Academic Program (CAP) specifications and maintains the highest standards of theological education.
Progress
Informal Training for The Church in Malawi
While we work towards Full Registration with NCHE, we can also provide informal training in a number of ways. Good teaching will be fruitful in and of itself. But there are other strategic benefits as well – church leaders increasingly exposed to CAPA distinctives, growing relationships with pastors and churches, and growing in our teaching skills. These are all important foundation blocks towards health in the future
As of February 2024, the three like-minded churches started offering an informal certificate program. Students take 12 courses, covering Biblical Studies, Theology, Hermeneutics, and Pastoral Ministry. We meet for a week of intensive classes each month, and in the intervening time there are assignments and reading to complete. So far this has been an true blessing to the both the students and instructors.
Faithful Church Conference is scheduled for July 2025 and the Expositor’s Conference is scheduled for November.
In partnership with Central African Baptist University (Kitwe, Zambia), we launched a certificate program that provides accessible theological training for people who cannot travel to Lilongwe. We greatly benefit from CABU’s experience and well-developed curriculum. The program delivers certificate-level training through one-week intensives every three months over three years, conducted largely in Chichewa (Malawi’s main vernacular language) to make the material accessible to a broader audience.
We are encouraged by the program’s growth and impact. Training is now active at two sites: one in Kasungu and one in Makanjira (Machinga district). These remote classes have expanded beyond their original scope to serve as distribution centers for our translated materials, while also training local leaders on how to effectively use these resources in their ministries.
This extension of CAPA’s reach demonstrates our commitment to equipping faithful men for ministry regardless of geographical or language barriers.
